Certain objects, including without limitation, gas turbine engines, routinely become soiled and coated by air-borne contaminants that enter and adhere themselves to such objects. In the case of a gas turbine engine, these contaminants or fouling typically enter the engine and adhere themselves to the engine fan and compressor blades. These contaminants eventually accumulate on the compressor blades, resulting in a decrease in the effectiveness of the blades in a manner that reduces total air flow and total produced power from the gas turbine engine.
One manner of preventing degradation and of reversing the adverse effects of contaminants is through proper and routine cleaning. Routine cleaning helps maintain turbine engine performance, emissions performance, and intended air flow at their best. Maintaining the intended air flow also assists in maintaining an optimal fuel to air mixture, which further improves the performance and life of compressors.
Existing methods and equipment utilized in cleaning engine compressors include a wash manifold (100) such as is shown in FIG. 1. The manifold (100) includes a plurality of nozzles (101) arranged to dispense a broad stream of washing fluid. In operation, the manifold (100) is typically releasibly mounted on the air inlet of the engine (120), where the nozzles (101) are positioned to direct washing fluid in the air stream up-stream of a fan (111) of the engine (120). Wash fluid dispensed through the nozzles (101) is then used to wash the fan (111) and if arranged properly, to wash components downstream from the fan (111).
Utilizing such methods and equipment, however, is ineffective for removing contaminants that have accumulated downstream of the fan (111). Indeed, since the manifold (100) is positioned upstream of the fan (111), wash fluid dispensed from the nozzles (101) must first collide with the fan's (111) blades. As a result, much of the wash fluid's velocity and volume will be lost before the wash fluid reaches the downstream components. To overcome this loss, additional volumes of wash fluid are dispensed and/or the velocity of the wash fluid is increased. As a result, the cost and time required to complete such a washing procedure are increased.
Accordingly, there is a need for a cost-effective and efficient method and apparatus for cleaning object. In the case of cleaning gas turbine engine, it would be desirable to have a cleaning system and process for rapidly and effectively cleaning the engine's components, including those located downstream of the engine's fan, in a manner that minimizes the volumes of washing fluids used.